Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center is providing our client districts the opportunity to learn from the comforts of their own home. There are two options, the first are several book studies utilizing Google Classroom, while the second is a menu of choices that present information in various formats before asking the participant to apply their learning to their classroom. All of these opportunities are free to those districts in the Mid-Ohio ESC gifted model. Educators can use these resources to earn gifted hours and also earn credit hours from Ashland University for an additional fee. 

Leanna Ferreira, Mid-Ohio ESC Gifted Services Consultant, said, “The book studies have proven very popular, averaging 70 teachers participating for each book during last school year, so we decided to continue with this method of professional development.” However, new this year is a menu of independent assignments covering a range of topics. Participants can read through the summaries and decide what is of most interest to them or what best meets the needs of the gifted students in their classroom. Each assignment ranges from one hour of PD to five hours of PD. 

Educators participating in the professional development will get training on these topics with more expected to be added throughout the year: 

• Motivating a Reluctant Reader 

• STEM Open-Ended Math Problems 

• Virtual Learning for Gifted Students 

• Extension Menus 

The first book study, Teaching Gifted Kids in Today’s Classroom from Susan Winebrenner, just opened up June 1st and is available through August 15th. Other books are slated for the year, including Project-Based Learning for Gifted Students: A Handbook for the 21st-Century Classroom. On September 24th, Mid-Ohio ESC will host Project-Based Learning author Todd Stanley for a 1-day workshop. Details about the workshop will be coming at a later date, as well as registration information and cost. 

Although anyone is able to participate, these resources are specifically designed to provide professional development to teachers who are serving gifted students. Interested educators can sign up for these opportunities at www.moesc.net/register. Anyone with questions about any of the professional development or registration can contact Leanna Ferreira at 419-774-5520 ex. 2481 or by emailing ferreira.leanna@moesc.net

As the Governor has started to open up different areas of the state, the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center team has been meeting to determine what sections of the organization can be reopened while also taking the necessary steps to keep our employees, their families and guest safe and healthy. The following schedule and guidance will be in place for Mid-Ohio ESC through July 31, 2020 or until further notice. 

Starting June 1, 2020, the Mid-Ohio ESC receptionist office will open to the public, and office hours will be Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Fingerprinting services are targeted to start the week of June 8th. However, the MOESC Print Shop will also be open by appointment only.

In order to maintain the health of our staff and anyone needing our assistance, the following specific guidelines are being implemented when fingerprinting services resume.

Fingerprinting Guidance

• By appointment only, schedule either online at www.moesc.net or call (419) 774-5520. Walk-in will not be accepted.

• Only one client in the office at a time, unless they are a minor, then one parent can accompany them. 

• Sanitize hard surfaces, including fingerprint scanners, after each use with a disinfecting cleaner.

• Confirm that applicant has not been in contact with anyone infected with COVID-19 and has not been in any high-risk areas for infection. Anyone entering the building will be asked four screening questions. 

  • Have you traveled to any of these locations in the last 14 days? China, Iran, South Korea, Italy, Japan?

  • Have you had contact with anyone with confirmed COVID-19 in the last 14 days?

  • Have you had any of these symptoms in the last 14 days? Fever greater than 100, Difficulty breathing, Cough, Are you currently experiencing fever over 100, difficulty breathing or cough? 

• Clients will need the following:

  • The exact amount for the cost of the check. No change will be given. $65 for BCI & FBI, $30 for BCI, $40 

  • Current driver’s license or valid state-issued ID

  • Completed authorization form (click here to download)

• Citizens are required to wear masks.

• Ensure applicants have washed or sanitized their hands prior to and after fingerprinting.

• Employees are masked at all times during the process.

• Employees should wash hands frequently with soap and water (for at least 20 seconds).

• Employees wear single use gloves at any time while dealing with citizens and taking fingerprints, if appropriate. 

• Items used are wiped down, cleaned after every contact with a citizen on a record check or fingerprint.

• If customers go beyond the lobby area for some reason, behind the secured door, they should have their temperature taken. Anyone whose temperature is taken is logged.

Anyone with questions should call Kathie Grove or Sheryl Whitley at (419) 774-5520 during office hours.

OTES- 2.0 NEW available in August

Use this Link to Register a session

    Session I:     May 31st thur June 14th - Facilitator is Gena Williams - Registration is now closed

    Session II:    June 7th thru June 21st - Facilitator is Tammy Webb - Registration is now closed

    Session III:   June 14th thru June 28th Facilitator is Jim Metcalf - Registration is now closed

Note:  If you registered for this course on STARS you will still need to register again and choose your session date.

  OTES 2.0 NEW now available 

Use this Link to Register for OTES 2.0 New Evaluator Credential Training

    August 2nd thur August 16th - Facilitator is Gena Williams - Registration ends July 24th 

COST: $260 non-client districts; free to Mid-Ohio ESC districts **Graduate credit available at an additional cost

Any Questions Contact:

Kevin D. Kimmel

Superintendent

Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center 

890 West Fourth Street 

Mansfield, Ohio 44906

419-774-5520

kimmel.kevin@moesc.net

Technology is an ever changing field to support and maintain, which became evident to many people during the COVID-19 shutdown. In March, the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center staff members and our client districts were given quite a challenge as schools shuttered for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. However, they all have done a remarkable job of continuing to work in this “new environment,” thanks to the assistance of the Mid-Ohio ESC Technology Department as they provided staff members with training on how to accomplish working with teachers and students remotely. 

Members of the Mid-Ohio ESC staff met with Occupational and Physical Therapists, Speech and Language Pathologists, and Psychologists to determine their needs and how to best service their student population. The Technology Department then provided laptops, iPads, and whatever electronic equipment was needed for staff members to assist client districts as they reached out to their teachers and students. Once their needs were determined and equipment disbursed, Mid-Ohio ESC began offering training and any support they requested.

The support Mid-Ohio ESC ranged from connecting to WiFi and printers at home, to teaching about new software, providing remote access to Zoom, Google Meets, or whatever collaboration tools were utilized by the districts serviced by Mid-Ohio ESC. 

Prior to COVID-19, many of the Mid-Ohio ESC staff members would travel between districts on a regular schedule to connect with administrators, teachers, staff members, and students. Now Mid-Ohio ESC staff members follow the districts’ new technology schedules and guidelines as they implement professional development for teachers and activities to best service their student population. Sherri Richter, from the Gifted and Talented Team, said the Tech Department has given them the flexibility they need by allowing teachers and district leadership teams to access professional learning offerings while continuing their work with their students.  

Mid-Ohio ESC has always been at the forefront of looking at creative ways of teaching and training teachers and working with area administrators. Some of the new formats that have been implemented during the extended school closure may become the new norm when it comes to training and communicating with the districts served. Mid-Ohio ESC staff members have asked good questions and provided different scenarios of what they have needed to meet the technology needs of servicing their districts, requiring the Tech Department to adapt to each situation for the best outcome.

Mid-Ohio ESC has also offered webinars to help launch teletherapy, an online service used by Occupational and Physical Therapists, Speech and Language Pathologists, and School Psychologists to continue to meet the needs of IEP students.  Mid-Ohio ESC has also worked with area county agencies who work with special needs students who also wanted to be involved in learning how to use teletherapy.

Ginny Utz, an occupational therapist with Mid-Ohio, said she is very thankful for the support. “Remote learning has meant diving into technology to continue to provide telehealth occupational therapy services for our students. The MOESC Tech Department has been invaluable in assisting this transition, from offering workshops on Zoom and teletherapy to controlling my laptop remotely, installing new software and helping me navigate new ways to accomplish needed tasks.”

During this pandemic, many parents have been struggling, so the Parent Mentor team began meeting and offering information to parents on a weekly basis.  Cindy Wrobleski, Parent Mentor, said the tech department has been immeasurably helpful. “Like everyone, I work in the ‘Dining Room Office.’ I have enjoyed using and getting to know Zoom & Google for meetings, webinars and chats. If I did not have technology, I would be completely unconnected. I miss the face-to-face, but I am getting by…thanks to Candy’s tech expertise!”

According to Candy Bores, Mid-Ohio ESC Technology Manager, “It has been a challenge to meet the needs of not only our client districts but also the needs of our internal staff.  We continue to support and work on training opportunities to make Mid-Ohio ESC staff and others feel comfortable with completing any task that is required of them to complete their job. This has been a fast-paced transition, but we all have learned new things that will make us better equipped and ready to service our client districts this summer and next fall.  My philosophy is that technology is a tool that allows each of us to be more efficient in our jobs, while helping promote the educational opportunities for educators and students.” 

As the Governor has started to open up different areas of the state, the MOESC team has been meeting to determine what sections of the organization can be reopened while also taking the necessary steps to keep our employees, their families and guest safe and healthy.

The following schedule and guidance will be in place through July 31, 2020 or until further notice.  

Fingerprinting Guidance

• Appointment Only - This website will be live by June 1, 2020
• Sanitize hard surfaces, including fingerprint scanners, after each use with a disinfecting cleaner
• Confirm that applicant has not been in contact with anyone infected with COVID-19 and has not been in any high risk areas for infection Anyone entering the building is asked four screening questions.   (They are refused entry if the wrong answer is given.)
  • Have you traveled to any of these locations in the last 14 days? China, Iran, South Korea, Italy, Japan
  • Have you had contact with anyone with confirmed COVID-19 in the last 14 days?
  • Have you had any of these symptoms in the last 14 days? Fever greater than 100, Difficulty breathing, Cough, Are you currently experiencing fever over 100, difficulty breathing or cough? Those that are unable to answer the 4 questions satisfactorily are denied entry.

• Citizens are required to wear masks.
• Ensure applicants have washed or sanitized their hands prior to and after fingerprinting
• Employees are masked at all times during the process.
• Employees should wash hands frequently with soap and water (for at least 20 seconds)
• Employee’s wear single use gloves at any time while dealing with citizens and taking fingerprints, if appropriate. 
• Items used are wiped down, cleaned after every contact with a citizen on a record check, fingerprint.
• If customers go beyond the lobby area for some reason, behind the secured door, they should have their temperature taken.  Anyone who’s temperature is taken is logged.

MOESC Office Guidance 

• Conduct daily health checks
• Encourage employees to wear cloth face coverings in the workplace (outside individual work area), if appropriate.
• Frequent hand washing and keep work areas clean and sanitized.   
• Practice social distancing.
• Employees who have symptoms should notify their supervisor and stay home.
• Sick employees should follow CDC-recommended steps. Employees should not return to work until the criteria to discontinue home isolation are met, in consultation with healthcare providers. 
• Employees who are well but who have a sick family member at home with COVID-19 should notify their supervisor and follow CDC recommended precautions. 

The Conference Center will remain closed.

The Print Shop will be open by appointment.

On Tuesday, May 12, 2020, the Ohio Educational Service Center Association (OESCA) recognized 84 of Ohio’s top students from across the state during the 31st Annual Franklin B. Walter All-Scholastic Awards Program.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic this year’s event was held virtually through two-way interactive video and live streamed on the Association’s YouTube Channel. Kerri Weir, OESCA President and Superintendent of the Northwest Ohio ESC, stated, “We could not let current circumstances prevent us from honoring these outstanding students.”

The awards program, named in honor of Ohio’s 31st State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Franklin B. Walter, was established in 1989 by OESCA to promote and recognize outstanding student leaders for their academic achievement and service to their schools and communities. One senior from each county in Ohio was eligible to receive this annual honor.

Eligible applicants must be a high school senior enrolled in a public school within an ESC’s service region. Recipients were required to demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and community service as indicated by high school grades, test scores, school and community activities and awards.

Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center (MOESC) was the ESC for two county winners. In Crawford County, Vincent Demski from Crestline Exempted Village School District was the winner. Demski will be attending Columbus State Community College and majoring in Marketing. For Morrow County, Bruce Jordan from Highland Local Schools was recognized. He is planning to major in Biomedical Engineering but is undecided on which school at this time.

MOESC Superintendent Kevin D. Kimmel praised the scholars. “These young men have been striving for excellence throughout their scholastic career, and we are so proud of their accomplishments. While the ceremony happened in a different way, it in no way diminished their achievement. They should be proud of themselves for the rewards their hard work has brought forth. They have a bright future ahead.”

Lt. Governor John Husted delivered this year’s keynote address. “We are honored to have the Lieutenant Governor address the students and families,” stated OESCA Executive Director Craig Burford. “In order to achieve this level of success, these students have demonstrated bold leadership, resilience and grit. These are the same characteristics the DeWine Administration has displayed and called upon each of us to model for our families and communities during this unique time in our state’s history. We are grateful to have a member of the Administration address the award winners.”

Over the past 31 years, OESCA has recognized over 2,500 scholars and student leaders during this event. “Ohio’s ESCs have over a century of service in providing technical assistance and support to Ohio’s schools and students, and during this event we get to see the impact of that work,” added Burford. “We look forward to our continued partnership with school district leadership and state policymakers to ensure students have the tools and resources necessary to succeed regardless of where they live and attend school.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone, and Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center (MOESC) is adapting to make sure that students continue to be served. This month, MOESC’s press releases will be focusing on showing the public what steps are being taken by each department or team. This sixth release will focus on the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Tiers of Support. 

Ohio enacted the Supporting Alternatives for Fair Education (SAFE) Act, House Bill 318, in 2018. This bill strengthens requirements for school districts to implement PBIS, social-emotional learning supports and trauma-informed practices. 

In order to support school districts in implementing effective PBIS framework processes, MOESC’s designed the PBIS Tiered Professional Learning model to provide training and coaching to districts. The PBIS professional learning model is structured into three tiers. Cathy Csanyi, PBIS Consultant, provides the professional learning throughout all tiers.

• Csanyi had begun the PBIS second professional learning cohort with several districts when the governor ordered school closures due to COVID-19.  At that time, the consultant team worked to transitional all trainings to remote platforms in order for districts to complete the PBIS training series.  On April 3, 2020 all registered districts completed the PBIS series via an online format.

• Csanyi will continue to provide external coaching support to district and/or building PBIS leaders or district PBIS internal coaches.  Coaching will be available via an online format to:

  • Assist the PBIS team in writing the PBIS School-Wide Scale-Up Action Plan, a requirement of the Ohio Department of Education;

  • Review data collection of behavioral incidences to interpret the data with the PBIS team and determine appropriate behavioral consequences and reteaching of expectations;

  • Train School-Wide Information System (SWIS), an in-depth data system, if requested; and

  • Assist district and/or building PBIS team members to train all staff in the PBIS framework.

• PBIS 3-Day trainings are being scheduled for in-district requests throughout the summer and will be delivered in either an online or face-to-face format, depending on school closure timeline extensions. 

Student Services Director Jennifer Crum explained keeping the PBIS Tiers of Support even while school is on home-based learning is very important. “One of the key principles of PBIS is the focus on building pro-social skills, not simply the attempt to eliminate challenging or problem behavior.  As our teachers are transferring their effective practices to remote activities or online platforms, these principles are still at the forefront of effective lesson structure and development. Research has indicated that when PBIS is implemented effectively, student behaviors improve, classroom disruptions are reduced, and the school culture is positively impacted.” 

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone, and Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center (MOESC) is adapting to make sure that students continue to be served. This month, MOESC’s press releases will be focusing on showing the public what steps are being taken by each department or team. This fifth release will focus on Abraxas and Foundations for Living, the Private Residential Treatment Facilities Schools. 

• Both schools are providing weekly work to all students through weekly class packets and the students are engaged in teacher-directed classes through Zoom. The teachers worked to put four weeks of educational material together for each individual student to meet their academic goals for the remainder of this term.

• Once a week, work is being collected and new work is being given out to the students with the assistance of the administrators and facility supervisors in each location.  Teachers are available by phone or email to answer any questions the students or facility staff have related to the daily assignments given to the students.

• IEP and ETR meetings are being held via phone or video conferencing. Outside agencies and the district of residence for each child will still be invited and encouraged to participate in all meetings.

• The educational staff at both PRTF programs have been participating in professional development related to online lesson delivery.  Each teacher has started preparing these lessons from home with the continued support of Mid-Ohio ESC’s technology coordinator.  

Vanessa Wagner, principal for Foundations for Living, said the staff has worked tirelessly. “We have not allowed teachers to come in contact with students at the facilities since the initial start of the school closure order, but our teachers worked hard to prepare packets of assignments to finish out the term we were in and we have now transitioned to online learning through zoom and Edgenuity.” 

Wagner continued, “The teachers at both Abraxas and Foundations have really taken on a huge task of switching gears so quickly. Without the help of Candy Bores, the technology coordinator [at MOESC], and her constant support throughout this process we would not have been as successful as we are. The teachers and administrative assistants at both programs have learned new skills, engaged in collaborative problem solving and have really come together to make this successful for out students.”  

Wagner said the constant support of the directors and staff members at both Abraxas and Foundations for Living has been critical.  “We have become extremely dependent on their willingness and ability to pivot on the fly with us and engage the necessary support structures inside of the facility so that we can continue to educate our students with consistency. The partnership between MOESC and the partner facilities is stronger than it has ever been and we are all working hard to ensure a high standard of education and mental health treatment for all students in both programs.” 

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone, and Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center (MOESC) is adapting to make sure that students continue to be served. This month, MOESC’s press releases will be focusing on showing the public what steps are being taken by each department or team. This third release will focus on the Striving Readers Team. 

Mid-Ohio ESC was awarded a $1.2 million Striving Readers Grant (SRG), which is now in its third and final year of implementation. The three-year focus has been on serving the greatest numbers of students living in poverty, students with disabilities, English learners and students identified as having a reading disability. 

The focus and goals of the final year are in supporting the Educational Cascade of Literacy and developing a framework for addressing evidence-based practice and support for the district leadership through professional development. Creating a strong building and district culture is conducive to student engagement. This is energized by the opportunities we afford our educators for professional development, coaching and intensive support to improve their daily practices within their schools.  

• The Striving Readers Grant Team developed an online SRG Literacy Lab using Google Classroom, which houses book studies and their companion resources (podcasts, videos, webinars, articles etc.). This virtual format allows our SRG work to further impact our districts’ literacy initiatives. 

• District Leadership teams will be able to further plan for instructional shifts by accessing the online book studies and personalized training. The SRG virtual learning lab allows districts to collaborate within their district or with another consortium member district by use of a reflective blog and Q/A option.  Districts/members can also use the professional development held within our classroom to launch virtual building leadership or staff meetings using a platform of their choice.

• The Striving Readers Coaches will monitor the classroom, support those attending, and provide explicit instruction in best practice using the resources authored by nationally recognized literacy experts.

• The Striving Readers Literacy Lab will be accessible after the completion of the grant to sustain the important work moving forward in our districts. 

Lisa Cook, Elementary Literacy Coach, is in charge of the Striving Readers Grant at MOESC. She said the team misses the opportunities afforded by direct contact, communications, conversations, observations and collaboration. “It is challenging to express passion, love for the work, and highlight how the resources we provide can best be used in the classrooms or at home to support student learning,” she explained. “However, we chose to do voiceovers on some of our PowerPoint presentations to make them more personal.”  

Cook continued, saying she has been proud of the Striving Readers Team for their innovative thinking, creative problem solving, and responsiveness to adjusting their professional development and literacy coaching support to meet the demands of virtual learners. “I am also proud that in tandem with providing professional support for the teachers, the coaches care about providing emotional support as well.  We are cheering them on and providing virtual ‘pat on the backs’ for the hard work they are doing every day to support their students!” she said.